USDA Funding to Improve Electric Service for Rural Residents and Businesses

On March 7, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that rural electric cooperatives in eight states will upgrade services to more than 24,000 rural consumers with loan guarantee financing provided by USDA. The $442 million in funding is being awarded through USDA Rural Development's Rural Utilities Service to assist electric utilities with upgrades, expansion, maintenance, and replacement of rural America's electric infrastructure. Over $9 million of these loans will support investments in smart grid technology through the use of automated metering. The USDA electric program also helps fund energy conservation and renewable energy projects.

The following is a complete list of rural utilities that have been selected to receive loan guarantee funding, which is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan agreement.

FLORIDA
•Talquin Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $45,360,000. Improvements will serve more than 4,000 consumers, build 150 miles of new distribution and four miles of new transmission line and make system improvements.
•Glades Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $30,382,000. Funding will be used to serve 1,500 consumers; build 688 miles of new distribution line and one mile of transmission line and make system improvements.

GEORGIA
•Altamaha Electric Membership Corporation — $10,000,000. This project will serve over 2,000 consumers, build and improve 417 miles of distribution line.

LOUISIANA
•South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association — $19,777,000. Funding will benefit over 1,800 consumers, build 16 miles of transmission line and improve 30 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.
•Pointe Coupee Electric Membership Corporation — $11,618,000 Serve 1,500 consumers, build 33 miles of transmission line and improve 24 miles of distribution line.
•Concordia Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $13,182,000. USDA funding will be used to benefit 4,000 consumers, build 111 miles of transmission line and improve 40 miles of distribution line.

MINNESOTA
•South Central Electric Association —$14,000,000. Serve 160 consumers, build and improve 219 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.

MISSOURI
•Osage Valley Electric Cooperative Association — $17,150,000. This project will serve 1,240 consumers, build and improve 191 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.
•Gascosage Electric Cooperative — $6,500,000. Funding will be used to benefit 700 consumers, build and improve 73 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.

NORTH CAROLINA
•South River Electric Membership Corporation — $22,000,000. This project will benefit 3,100 consumers, build and improve 190 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.

SOUTH CAROLINA
•Edisto Electric Cooperative, Inc.— $25,000,000. Funds will be used to serve 3,400 consumers, build and improve 301 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements.

TEXAS
•Swisher Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $5,200,000. Funding will serve almost 1,000 consumers, build and improve 181 miles of distribution line.

TEXAS AND LOUISIANA
•Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $91,000,000. This funding will be used to help acquire portion of ownership interest in Harrison County Power Plant.
•East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $131,000,000. This funding will be used to help acquire portion of ownership interest in Harrison County Power Plant.